Halep to play qualifier in US Open first round

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, world number four, will play a qualifier in the first round of the US Open tournament, the last Grand Slam of the year, according to the draw in New York on Thursday. Halep, who won the Wimbledon title this summer, lost in the first round at last year's tournament in Flushing Meadows. On the main singles draw there are three more Romanians: Sorana Cirstea, Monica Niculescu and Mihaela Buzarnescu. Cirstea, world number 106, will play in the first round against Czech Katerina Siniakova, world number 38. Their head-to-head count is 2-0 favouring Cirstea, who defeated Siniakova in the first round at Eastbourne 2017, 6-3 6-2, and last year in the first round of Madrid Open 2018, 6-4 2-6 6-4. World number 105 Niculescu will play 19-year-old Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, world number 33, in their first head-to-head meet ever. Buzarnescu, world number 136, will face off German Andrea Petkovic, world number 89. She won their only professional head-to-head match in 2009, in Civitavecchia, Italy, 6-0 6-1. The Romanian had prevailed in June 2004, 6-1 6-3, in the Istres Girls Challenge, France. Two other Romanians could also make it to the main women's draw: Gabriela Ruse and Ana Bogdan, both of which have reached the last qualifying round. AGERPRES (RO - editor: Mihai Tenea; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)

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